Driving mechanism for washing machines



L. W. MAMIVIEN.

DRIVING MECHANISIVI FOR WASHING MACHINES.

.IP PLICATION FILED1uNEI8,I92o.

1,414,430. Patented May 2, 1922.

f xmmxumxwwmxmxmxmm LAWRENCE W. MIAMMEN,

OF CHICAG-OLILLINOIS.

DRIVING MECHNISM FOR WASHING- MACHNES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent-@d1 MIE@ 2, 19220 Application :filed June 18, 1920. Serial No. 339,801.

To all wiwm. it may cof/cern 23e it known that l, LAWRENCE l/V. MAM- MEN, a citizen of the United- States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State o f Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Driving Mechanism for Washing Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawi ing, which forms a part of my specification.

My invention relates to driving mechanism intended more especially for operating ower-driven washing machines and has for its object the provision of a construction whereby the direction of rotation or operation of the cylinder or agitator of the washing machine will be automatically controlled and made to operate in reverse directions at predeterminedv moments; the invention contemplatingl mechanism which will ensure a positive operationv of a shiftable double clutch mechanism in order that the predetermined gear may be brought into operative relation with the driven shaft on the machine; the mechanism being of such construction that. the power-transmitting elements may be manually placed in neutral or inoperative position when desired and whereby said power-imparting elements may be manually placed into operative relation in the event of'any accidental shifting of said elements during non-use of the machine.

The objects and advantages of my invention will be more readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accom panying drawing, wherein Figure 1 illustrates my improved mechanism, in elevation, with the casing and ipowerimparting shaft of the machine shown in section and partially broken away. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

My invention, as exemplied in the drawing, discloses the mechanism as adapted to a washing machine in which a suitable agitator or revolving cylinder is intended to be employed. As the cylinder and remaining features of the washing machine proper may be of any of the well known constructions, the same have not been illustrated and further description thereof need not be entered into.`

A'portion of the power-transmitting shaft is illustrated at 10, leading upwardly from a motor (notshown) which is adapted to be located at a suitable point on the lower frame members of the machine. 'llhe power shaft section 10 extends into a suitable box or housing 11 which is preferably formed integral by means of the hub-portion 12 with the cylindrical shell or housing 13 in which the cylinder-driving mechanism is located. The end of the power shaft section 10, within the housing 11, is provided with a beveled gear 14 which meshes with a beveled gear 15 keyed to a driven shaft 16 which isdisposed transversely through the cylindrical portion 13 of the housing or casing. rlhe iside of the casing or housing 13, opposite to that provided with the box or housing 11, is provided with a suitable boss-formation 17 adapted to provide proper bearing for the end ofthe driven shaft 16, while the restricted connection between the portions 11 and 13 of the casing provides bearing for the other end of the shaft 16. i The driven shaft 16 is provided with a pair of beveled pinions 18 and 19, loosely mounted thereon at diametrically opposite points in the casing 13. The rear wall of the casing 13, which is adapted to be secured against the side wall of the tub-portion of the washing machine, is provided with an extension or hub-portion 20, see

through the side wall ofv the tub or receptacle` a portion of which is indicated at 21, in order to provide proper bearing for the cylinder-supporting and controlling shaft 22, a portion whereof is shown in Figure 2.

The end of the shaft 22, disposed within the casing'l 13, is provided with a circular bevel gear 23 with which the pinions 18 and 19 mesh, but at 'diametrically op-posite points as disclosed in 4Figure 1.

The shaft 16` at a point intermediate of the bevel gears 18 and 19, is provided with a double clutch member 24 slidably secured to the shaft 16 in any suitable manner, as for example by a slot and pin connection, as shown at 25 in full lines in Figure 2 and in dotted lines in Figure 1, so that the double clutch member 24 is caused to constantly rotate with the driven shaft 16 when thelatterv is operated by the power shaft section.

The double clutch member 24, at opposite ends thereof, is provided with flanges 26, adapted to be engaged by a sliding mem- 85 Figure 2, which is intended to extend flanged portions 28 are kerfed on their adjacent or contacting 4sides to provide a groove disposed lengthwise of thesleeve, as

shown in dotted lines at 29 in Figure 1..

This groove 29 is intended to receive a suitable lug 30 formed on the lower surface of a bowed bracket 31 which is secured to lugs formed on the inner surface of the casing 13. Nith the lug 30 disposed into the groove 29 -in the two part sleeve 27, it is evident that the sleeve will be guided in its travel lengthwise ofthe clutch member 24 and be held against rotation, The lower sides of the sleeve members are also provided with corresponding flanged portions 32, formed so as to provide a space therebetween, to receive an arm or lug 33 formed on a traveling member or nut 34, and permit movement of the arm 33 and therefore of member 34 rela,- tive to the sleeve 27 The sides of the iiange portions 32 of' sleeve 27 are shown provided with elongated slots 35, see Figure 1, into which a pin 36 extends; said pin being disposed through and carried by the arm 33.

The arm or lug 33 is secured and preferably formed integral with the upper part of the nut 34 so as lto extend a predetermined distance beyond one e-nd of the nut in a direction parallel with the direction of travel of the nut. The nut 34 is threaded to travel lengthwise of screw-shaft 37 which is rotatably mounted at its ends in suitable bosses 38 formed on the inner side walls of the casing 13. The lower side of nut 34 is provided with a depending lug 39, preferably forked or bifurcated as shown in Figure 2 to straddle a guide-rod or'l bar 40 mounted in the lower part of the casing 13; thelug 39 and rod40 maintaining the nut 34 against rotation and therefore causing the nut to travel lengthwise of/screw-shaft 37 when the latter is rotated; the direction of travel depending upon the direction of rotation of screw-shaft 37.

One end of screw-shaft 37 is provided with a gear 41,preferably looselymounted on the screw-shaft, and this gear meshes with a gear 42 which is secured Aor made integral with bevel pinion 18 so that gear 42 will rotate with pinion 18. The gear 41, on screw-shaft 37, is shown provided with clutch surfaces at 43 adapted to be engaged by the clutch member 44 which is slidably ke ed on the screw-shaft 37. l

he front wall of thecasing 13 is preferably made inA two parts, with the upper part 45 made removable while the lower part 46 is shown formed integral with the casing. This lower part is shown provided with a lever 47 secured to a shaft 48, the.

inner end whereof is provided with an eccentric portion orhead 49 adapted to extend intermediate of` the flanged .portions of clutch member 44, so tha't when the lever 47 is oscillated from a neutral or intermediate position, the eccentric portion or head will force the clutch member 44 either into or out of clutching relation with the clutch surface 43 of gear 41. f

Writh bevel pinions 18 and 19 arranged in mesh with circular gear 23, it is evidentthat circular gear 23 is caused to be rotatedby the selective pinion effected through the positioning of double clutch member'24; that is to say, with the clutch member 24 in mesh with the clutch surface onthe hub-portion of pinion 19, power will be'transmitted through pinion 19 to circular gear 23 and thus cause the latter to rotate in a given direction, as shown in Figure 1. Pinion 18 being inmesh with gear 23 (but out of clutching relation with clutch member 24) will loosely rotate on shaft 16 and will therefore cause worm-shaft 37vto be rotated through the medium of the gears 41 and 42. With,v the circular gear 23 being .driven by pinion 19, it is evident that gear Aor pinion 18 will be rotated in opposite direction to the direction of its rotation when it is brought into operative relation with shaft 16 through doubleclutch member 24 to act as the driving pinion. With this relation of theelements, it is evident that worm-shaft 37 will likewise be rotated in opposite directions vdepending upon the relation of pinion 18 to the driven shaft 16.

Pivotally mounted at 50 on bracket 31 is a lever 51 formed to extend along one'side of thef'sleeve member 27; the lower end, off

the lever 51 being provided with a suitable slot 52 disposed lengthwise of lever 51;

'the slot being adapted to receive a pin 53 secured to the side of sleeve member 27. Pivotally mounted on bracket 31 at a point above the pivotal point 50 and preferp ably in vertical alignment therewith, namely at the point 54, is a lever 55, the upper end whereof is disposed through a suitable opening 56 in the casing or housing 13 so as to permit manual operation of the lever when. occasion requires. A spring 57 has one end secured at 58 to the lever 55, whilethe op-v posite end is secured at the point 59 to the lower erd of lever 51; said spring maintaining the elements under constant tension tending to draw the free ends of the levers in directions toward eachv other and therefore toward opposite sides of the dead centers of pivotal points-50 and 54 of levers 51 and 55, respectively, with the result thatv A positive movement of the sleeve member 27 and consequently also of the duble clutch member 24 is induced. In securing theupper end of the tension spring 57 to the movable lever 55, it is apparent that the pull of the spring will alternately be exerted on opposite sides of the pivotal points previously referred to.

.The part of lever 51, above its pivotal point 50, is provided with a small lip or lug 60 which is disposed into the slotted or bifurcated end 61 of lever 55. lVith this construction, movement of either lever 51 or 55 will be transmitted from one to the other, so that movement of sleeve 27, through the action of the pin 36 secured to the arm or vlug 33 of traveling member or nut 34, will induce the lower end of lever 51, by reason of its slot and pin connection with sleeve 27, to oscillate about its pivotal point 50 and likewise cause lever 55 to oscillate about its pivotal point 54 through the medium of the lug and slot connection b between the two levers. As a result of this construction, it is apparent that the moment lever 51 is Voscillated to a point slightly beyond dead center, that tension s'pring 57 w-ill induce a further and positive oscillation of lever 51 and therefore a positive shifting of sleeve 27,@which will thereby be forced into effective contactl with one of the flanges 26 of double clutch member 24 and induce the neutral or intermediate position during an idle moment or in the movement of the machine; while at the same time providing means whereby the clutch element may 'be thrown out of clutching relation during the operation of the machine should occasion. require. l

In order to prevent anypossibility of injury by the insertion of fingers through slot 56, and prevent objects falling through the slot, I 'have shown lever 55 provided with an arcuate guard 62 adapted to travel beneath the slot 56 and within the casing 13.

Rotation of bevel pinion 18 and therefore also pinion 42, in similar direction with shaft 16 as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, will induce pinion 41 to rotate in opposite direction and thereby cause nut 34 to travel lengthwise of screw-shaft 37 toward the opposite end until the pin 36, secured in the arm or lug 33 of the nut, has engaged the opposite end of the slot 35vin the lower part of sleeve 27, thereby causing the sleeve to slide lengthwise lof double clutch member 34 toward the right in Figure 1 until the sleeve 27 has arrived at a point where lever 51 has been oscillated slightly toward the right of its pivotal point, when the spring 57 will quickly draw both levers 51 and 55 toward the right in Figure 1 and cause sleeve 27 to positively shift clutch 24 into clutching engagement with the clutch surface of pinion 19. With the pinion 19 in operative relation with shaft 16, circular gear 23 will be driven in reverse direction from that inducedby pinion 18, which now will be rotated loosely on shaft 16, but in a direction reverse from that previously described. As a result of the reverse rotation of pinion 18 vand gear 42, it is evident that screw-shaft 37 will be caused to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation induced when the pinion 18 acts as the driving pinion for the circular' gear 23.

With the difference in size of the gears intermediate of the screw-shaft 37 and pinion 18, the screw-shaft 37 will be caused to rotate at thedesired speed relative to the speed of shaft 16, so that by the time traveling member or nut 34 has traveled from one extreme to the other, large circular gear 23 will have been rotated a predetermined number of revolutions, with the result that the cylinder or washing -machine agitatorwill also have been rotated or agitated in a given direction a predetermined number of times before Athe clutch' mechanism has been shifted to cause reverse operation of the cylinder or agitator.

By forming the gear casing 13 with an integral front wall portion 46 as previously described, extending to a point slightly above the horizontal plane of screw-shaft 37, a suitable amount of lubricant or grease may be placed in the lower part of the casing suiicient to immerse the screw-shaft and thereby maintain the screw-shaft and traveling member properly lubricated; while the gear 41 in turn will transmit lubricant to gear 42 and gear 23 will transmit lubricant to the pinions 18 and 19, with the result that allof the running frictional surfaces will be properly lubricated.

In forming the shaft housing 11 integral with the shell or casing 13, a very rigid structure is provided and the proper positioning of the respectiveshaft sections and gears will beensured.

Myinvention provides driving mechanism `which is simple in construction and opera- ,transversely of thev gear, a pair of gears loosely mounted on said shaft and arranged in mesh with the first mentioned gear at diametrically opposite points, a double clutch member slidably keyed to the shaft intermediate of the loosely mounted gears and adapted to alternately 'have clutching engagement with said gears, a member slidable on said clutch member and adapted to control the latter, means adapted to travel in directions lengthwise of said shaft and in controllable relation with said last mentioned member, intermeshing gears intermediate of said means and one of the loosely mounted gears, a pair of pivotally mounted levers having operative relation with each other at points intermediate of their pivotal points, one of said levers being adapted to be manually controlled, while the other lever has operative relation withthe second mentioned member, and tension-'applying means intermediate of the two levers whereby a positive movement of said levers to opposite Asides of their pivotal points will be induced.

2. In driving mechanism of the class described, a gear adapted to transmit motion to the device to be operated, ashaft disposed transversely of the gear, a pair of gears loosely mounted on the shaft and arranged in mesh with the first mentioned gear at diametrically opposite points,j`a double clutch member slidably keyed to the shaft intermediate of the loosely mounted gears and arranged to have clutching engagement with said gears, a screw-shaft disposed parallel with the first mentioned shaft and adapted to be rotated through the medium of one of the loosely mounted gears, a member arranged to travel lengthwise ofthe screw-shaft, means slidably mounted on the clutch member and controllable by the traveling member on the screw-shaft, said means having yielding operative rela,- tion with the clutch member, a spring- V controlled pivoted lever having a yielding operative relation with said means whereby the positive operation Aof said means is controlled, and means whereby the traveling member on the screw-shaft is held against rotation.

3. In driving mechanism of the character described, a gear adapted to transmit motion to the device to be operated, a shaft disposed .transversely of the gear, a pair of gears loosely mountedon said shaft in mesh with the first mentioned gear at diametrically opl posite points, a double clutch member slidably keyed to the shaft intermediate of the loosely mounted gears and arranged to alternately have clutching engagement with said loosely mounted gears, a screw-shaft disposed parallel with the first mentioned shaft, a member arranged to travel vlengthwise of said screw-shaft, gearing intermediate of one of the loosely mounted gears and said screwshaft whereby the latter is rotated, a member slidable on the double clutch member and having yielding operative relation therewith, means intermediate of thel traveling member on the screw-shaft and said third mentioned member whereby said third member is controlled through the positioning of the traveling member on the screw-shaft, and spring-controlled means whereby positive movement of the thirdmember is induced and the clutch member thrown into complete clutching engagement with the selective gear of said pair of loosely mounted gears.

4f. In driving mechanism of the character described, a one piece casing, lone portion whereof receives and provides bearmg for the end of a power-transmitting shaft while the other portion is provided with a driven shaft disposed at right'angles tio the first mentionedshafga gear mounted in the second portion of said casing and adapted to -transmit motion to the device to be operated, a pair of gears loosely mounted on the driven shaft and arranged in mesh with the first mentioned gear at diametrically opposite points, a double clutch member slidably keyed on the driven shaft intermediate of the loosely mounted gears, a screw-shaft journaled in the second portion of the casing and arranged parallel with the driven shaft, means intermediateI of the two shafts whereby the screw-shaft is rotated at a predetermined speed when the driven shaft is rotated, means adapted to travel along said screw-shaft through the rotation of the latter, a member slidable on the clutch member and having yielding operative relation therewith, said last mentioned member being arranged in yielding operative relation withthe last means, and a spring controlled lever arranged in operative relation with said last member whereby the latter is given positive movement and the clutch member thereby shifted into positive relation with the selective gear 'of said pair of gears.

5. Driving mechanism of the character described, comprising a gear adapted to transmit motion to the device to be operated, a shaft disposed transversely of the gear, a pair of gears loosely mounted on said shaft .and arranged in mesh with the first gear at diametrically| opposite points, a double:

clutch slidably keyed on the shaft intermediate of the loosely mounted gears, adapted to alternately have clutching engagement with said pair of gears, means adapted to travel in directions lengthwisel I v of said shaft and operable through rotation of one of said looselymountedv gears, a member arranged in yielding operative relation with said means and controlled thereby, said A member .having operative relation with the 4 double clutch, and spring-controlled means oscillatingly mounted so as to control the positive shifting of the doubleclutch is obtained.

6. Driving mechanism of the character described, comprisingv a gear adapted to transmit motion to the device to be operated,

a shaft disposed transversely of the gear, a pair of gears loosely mountedon said shaft and arranged in mesh with the first mentioned gear at diametrically opposite points, a double clutch slidably keyed to the shaft intermediate of the loosely mounted gears, adapted to alternately have clutching engagement with said pair of gears, a member slidable on said clutch and adapted to control the latter, means whereby said member is held against rotation, means adapted t'o travel in directions lengthwise of the shaft.

and arrangedin controllable relation with said slidable member, intermeshing gears intermediate of said means and one of the loosely, mounted gears, a spring-controlled member oscillatingly mounted above said slidable member and in operative relation therewith for inducing final positive shifting of the slidable member and said clutch, and manually operable means for controlling said spring-controlled member.

7. Driving mechanism of the character described, comprising a gear adapted to transmit motion to the device to be operv ated, a shaft disposed transversely of the gear, a pair of gears loosely mounted on said shaft and arranged in mesh with'the first mentioned gear at diametrically opposite points, a double clutch slidably keyed to the shaft intermediate of the loosely mounted gears, adapted to alternately have clutching engagement with said pair of gears, a member mounted on said clutch in operative relation therewith adapted-to Acontrol the clutch, meanswherebJ said member is held against rotation, a rotatable shaft controlled by one of said pair of loosely mounted gears, adapted to rotate in opposite directions, an oppositely movable member, controlled through rotation of said last mentioned shaft', having slot and pin connection with said first mentioned member, adapted to move said first member into clutch-shifting position, and a spring-controlled member oscillatingly mounted above said first member and in operative-relation therewith whereby the latter is given final movement to induce positive shiftingof said clutch into operative relation with the selective gear of said pair of gears.

8. In a driving mechanism of the cha-racter described, a housing, one portion whereof constitutes a gear-casing in which the ends ofi a drive-shaft and a driven-shaft are rotatably mounted, while the other portion provides a casing for the motion-imparting mechanism which comprises a circular gear disposed parallel with the drivenshaft, a pair of gears loosely mounted on the driven-shaft and arranged in mesh with the circular gear at diametrically opposite points, a double clutch slidably keyed on said shaft intermediate of said pair of gears and adapted to alternately move into clutching engagement therewith, a worm shaft rota-tabl'y mounted in said second portion of .the housing, parallel with the driven shaft and arranged to be rotated through the medium of one of said loosely mounted gears, a memberv threaded on said wormshaft, means whereby said member is held against rotation and made to travel lengthwise of the worm shaft, a member slidably mounted onthe double clutch, controllable by the member on the worm shaft, said second mentioned member having yielding operative relation with said double clutch, a pair of levers oscillatingly mounted in the second portion of the housing y'above said second mentioned member and 'arranged in operative. relation with each other, one of said levers having yielding operative rela.- tion withethe double clutch, and a spring connected to said levers at opposite sides of their pivotal points, adapted to shift said vlevers beyond dead center when the second mentioned member has been shifted a predetermined extent, whereby the clutch is shifted into positive gear-engaging position.

l9. Driving mechanism of the character described, comprising. a gear .adapted to transmit motion to the'device to be operated, a shaft disposed transversely of the ear, a pair of gears loosely mounted on sai shaft and arranged in mesh with the first gear at diametrically opposite points, a double clutch slidably keyed on the shaft intermediate of the loosely mounted gears and adapted to alternately have clutching engagement with said pair of gears, a wormshaft disposed parallel with said first shaft, gears intermediate of said worm-shaft and one of the pair of gears whereby the wormshaft is rotated, a member threaded on said wormshaft,means whereby said member is held against rotation and caused to ride lengthwise of said worm-shaft, a member mounted on said'double clutch and ,having slot and pin connection with the member threaded on the Worm-shaft, means whereby said second member is held against rota-tion and guided in its movement, a pair of levers pivotally connected on said last means, with the pivotal points of said levers arranged in vertical alignment and the adjacent ends of the levers-in operative relation with one an- 'their pivotal points whensaid levers have been moved a predetermined extent, one of said levers being adapted to control the final positioning of said second mentioned member, while lthe second lever is manually operable.

10. Driving mechanism of the character described, comprisingy ahousing, a circular gear mounted in one wall of said housing, a shaft disposed through said housing transversely of said gear, a pair of gears loosely fmounted on the shaft and in mesh at diametrically opposite points with 'said first gear, a double clutch slidably keyed on said shaft intermediate of the pair of loosely .mounted 'gears and adapted alternately to have clutching engagement with said pair of gears, a-worm-shaft rotatably mounted in .said housing parallel with said first shaft,

gears intermediate of the worm-shaft and one of said'loosely mounted gears for imparting rotation to the worm-shaft in opposite directions, a member threaded on said worm-shaft and provided with a projection or arm disposed parallel with the wormshaft, means with which said member has slidable engagement whereby rotation of said member on the Worm-shaft is prevented,

a sleeve slidable on said double clutch and having slot and pin connection with the projection or arm of the member threaded on the worm-shaft, a bracket mounted in said housing above said first mentioned shaft and provided with a depending projection having sliding relation with said. sleeve, a pair of levers pivoted on said bracket at points in vertical alignment to permit said levers to oscillate, the adjacent ends of said levers having operative relation with one another, the lower lever being adapted to control said sleeve while the upper lever is disposed through the housing to permit manual operation, and a spring secured to both levers at points above and below their respective pivotal points so as to induce posi- Ltive oscillation of the levers ypast their dead centers and thereby force said sleeve into clutch-actuating position.

LAWRENCE w. MAMMEN.

Witnesses:

Gf. HEIDMAN, F. A; Froment? 

